#%$@ing Possums!

We have some unique pests to deal with in Australia. Post your experiences and treatments here for others to learn from.
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Re: #%$@ing Possums!

Post by SueBee »

Quassia chips soaked and sprayed seem to work for a lot of people...worth trying maybe? They are incredibly bitter.
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Re: #%$@ing Possums!

Post by Beano »

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Extra destructive last night despite DL, chilli spray. Not happy!!! Of course, tree not tied in, and shelves need a protective edge to prevent falls.
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Re: #%$@ing Possums!

Post by Beano »

On plus side I need to chop that bougy and now the roots are snapped already, it’s probably a good time to do it!
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Re: #%$@ing Possums!

Post by Beano »

Just got a fence energiser. I hope it works.


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Re: #%$@ing Possums!

Post by Steve B »

Sweet!! Be interested to see how it goes as a deterrent....

... or better still see some footage of it in action!

Not that I advocate the casual torture of small animals of course, but sympathetic feelings toward bonsai vandalising possums can be hard to find.
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#%$@ing Possums!

Post by Beano »

It’s something called a pingg string. So not cattle fence but enough zap for critter to learn it’s unfriendly and stay away. It’s legal to use for cats and dogs as well, whereas livestock electric fences aren’t. It’s also marketed as a possum deterrent.

Not very cheap so it better work. I know it could be done cheaper with a car battery or some thing but rigging that sort of thing up is not my area... would probably end up burning the hedge down!
Last edited by Beano on February 13th, 2018, 1:19 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: #%$@ing Possums!

Post by Beano »

It’s up!!! Hope it works... I’m very happy with how it discreet it looks.
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Re: #%$@ing Possums!

Post by Ryceman3 »

Let us know how it goes!! :fc:
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Re: #%$@ing Possums!

Post by Beano »

Well, it’s been 2 weeks. And my bonsais are growing, nothing has been knocked over or off their shelves, nothing appears to have been eaten except possibly a ground grown Bougy and that was early days after the fence went up. So I think it’s working. There are options to install a ground wire too to protect the ground grown area. All can be done with the same energiser which is solar powered and can be programmed to be on all the time or at night. I’m pretty happy so far as I was starting to lose hope for my trees.
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Re: #%$@ing Possums!

Post by Ryceman3 »

Beano wrote:Well, it’s been 2 weeks. And my bonsais are growing, nothing has been knocked over or off their shelves, nothing appears to have been eaten except possibly a ground grown Bougy and that was early days after the fence went up. So I think it’s working. There are options to install a ground wire too to protect the ground grown area. All can be done with the same energiser which is solar powered and can be programmed to be on all the time or at night. I’m pretty happy so far as I was starting to lose hope for my trees.
Ticking all the boxes! :yes: Let's hope it continues. :fc:
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Re: #%$@ing Possums!

Post by Beano »

It has been nearly 6 months since I got the Pingg String on my bonsai wall. We’re pretty sure the possum has moved on due to lack of access to the trees. It has worked brilliantly and we are confident that nothing has been touched since its installation, even when it failed due to the solar panel being moved by housesitters while we were away causing the battery to run flat. I highly recommend this method for deterring possums.
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Re: #%$@ing Possums!

Post by Watto »

Thanks for the update, very interesting.
Check out my blog at http://www.ausbonsai.com.au/blog/Watto" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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